Monk's nephew remanded in further custody in relation to Byrne murder

PATRICK Hutch Jnr, who has been charged with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin, has been further remanded in custody.

David Byrne (34) who was from Crumlin in Dublin was shot dead during a boxing weigh-in at the popular hotel on Feb. 5 by a gang of heavily armed raiders. Last month Patrick Hutch (24) of Champions Avenue, Dublin 1, was charged with the murder of David Byrne and was remanded in custody.

Mr Hutch who “made no reply to the charge” faced his third appearance on Wednesday (June 22) at Cloverhill District Court.

He was further remanded in custody by Judge Victor Blake and will appear again in court on July 20. It had been indicated at an earlier hearing that he could face a non-jury trial in the Special Criminal Court.

Det Sergeant Mick Mulligan has told Judge Victor Blake that the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment and is deciding whether to issue a certificate for the Special Criminal Court.

A book of evidence has yet to be prepared.

Due to the nature of the charge the district court cannot grant bail meaning Mr Hutch, who has not yet indicated how he will plead, will have to bring an application to the High Court to get released pending trial.

Patrick Hutch Jnr is a nephew of Gerry “the Monk” Hutch and also a cousin of Gareth Hutch (35) who was shot dead outside his home in north inner city Dublin on the morning of May 24 and Gary Hutch who was killed in Spain last year

David Byrne, who was from Crumlin, was blasted when gunmen arrived at the Regency Hotel dressed as a Garda SWAT team. Daniel Kinahan, who runs the MGM boxing promotion, was also at the weigh-in but avoided injury.

It followed the murder of Dublin criminal Gary Hutch who was shot dead in Spain last year and has sparked a wave of killings: Eddie Hutch (58), Noel “Kingsize” Duggan and dissident Michael Barr.

Homeless man Martin O'Rourke was also was shot dead in Dublin city-centre last month in what is believed to have been a case of mistaken identity and on Tuesday Gareth Hutch was shot dead as he was getting into his car outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street.